OPINION

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Sunday, March 07, 2004

Army, DEQ moving forward with a safe, proven plan

The Washington Demilitarization Co.’s request to move its exhaust quality testing location in response to changed measurement standards is appropriate and should be approved.

While critics complain that this latest request for a change to the original permit signals problems with the incineration project, it would be just as viable to argue that the hundreds of permit changes to date represent the strength of the process.

Destroying the 3,700 tons of weapons of mass destruction housed at the Umatilla Chemical Depot is a daunting task. And no matter how you feel about the military’s decision to put the weapons there in the first place, or how you feel about how the military communicated with the community back then, you have to appreciate how important it is that this project be ready to adapt to any eventuality.

Critics of this project are vocal in their concern that the Army has failed to explore alternative processes for destroying the weapons. Often these critics seem to be supporting “neutralization” over “incineration.”

The Army is experimenting with a “neutralization” process at a site in Maryland, and according to all accounts it’s “showing promise.”

The incineration process being implemented in Hermiston is not experimental. It’s proven to be safe and effective. It uses “old” technology that is clearly understood and predictable.

Neutralization does sound better than incineration, but this project is not about semantics, it’s about science.

This plant, like most industrial plants, will have challenges. Rockets may jam on conveyor belts, others may start leaking before they get to the disposal area.

The measure of the plan, like in life, is not about never having challenges or problems. No, the measure is about being flexible and prepared enough to deal with them without compromising the safety and integrity of the project.

The changes to the permit argue as strongly for the vitality of this project as they do for some unknown fears.

From the perspective of Washington staff and the military on this project, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s oversight has been more stringent than any of the other sites where the disposal of weapons and material of mass madness is finally taking place.

It’s important that all of us continue to monitor this project. The stakes in this are high, but as we do, we need to keep our focus on the end result of not living next door to this stockpile or the residue of its destruction.